Health benefits of milk, yoghurt and cheese

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recognise the importance of consuming enough dairy in the diet every day, however alarmingly 90% of Australian adults are not getting enough dairy in their diets.1 Dairy foods are well-known for their high calcium content, but also contain a unique package of other essential nutrients which are important for blood and immune system, eyesight, muscle and nerve function, healthy skin, energy, and growth and repair in all parts of the body.

The table below lists the essential nutrients found in dairy and their functions in the body.

Nutrient

Function

Calcium

Essential for strong bones and teeth

Needed for normal muscle and nerve functioning and may assist in controlling high blood pressure

Vitamin B12

Helps to keep blood healthy

Assists in the formation of nerve cells

Vitamin A

Essential for healthy eyesight

Important for growth, particularly in children

Riboflavin

Helps release energy from food

Helps cells to function properly

Potassium

Assists with blood pressure control

Important for nerve impulse transmission

Magnesium

Important component in bone structure

Essential for energy transfer around the body

Zinc

Aids wound healing

Essential for normal growth and development in bones, brain and other parts of the body

Phosphorus

Forms an important part of the mineral structure in bones and teeth

Works with B vitamins to release energy from food

Carbohydrate

Provides energy for the body

Protein

Needed for growth and development as well as repair to damaged body tissues

Forms part of many enzymes and blood components and is essential for maintaining muscles

While research in this area is still growing, below are just some of the important research findings that support the health benefits of consuming milk, yoghurt, cheese and alternatives (mostly reduced-fat).

1 Doidge J, Segal L. Most Australians do not meet recommendations for dairy consumption: findings of a new technique to analyse nutrition surveys. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2012;36(3):236-40.

Research in the US has found that a diet low in salt and high in fruits and vegetables, together with high intake of low-fat dairy (known as the DASH diet – Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) significantly reduced blood pressure, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This was when compared to fruit and vegetables alone.5,6

As part of a balanced diet, dairy – both reduced and regular-fat varieties – is not linked with weight gain or obesity.7 In fact, research suggests that at least three serves of dairy per day can lead to weight loss and reductions in waist size.8 While dairy foods do contain saturated fat, there are numerous other beneficial components and bioactive substances in milk which may contribute to the prevention of chronic disease.

A review that combined the effects of 16 separate studies and over 520,000 people found higher intakes of all varieties of milk, yoghurt and cheese was linked with an 11% reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes compared to people eating less dairy.9Every 200g of total dairy foods was linked to a 6% reduction in type 2 diabetes risk. A 20% drop in the risk of type 2 diabetes was reported for every 30g of cheese consumed per day.